Over the past months we've heard a lot of talk in the NBA about what things will be like post-something. Post-The Decision. Post-Strike. I'd like to add a new one. Post-2011 Trade Deadline.
Yes I'm saying it. This week's trade deadline changed the NBA forever. By itself it established no precedents, but when paired with the free-agency drama of a summer ago and the likely bitter fight of the coming Collective Bargaining talks, things are changing.
Lebron James established a legacy last summer, one that I doubt he ever foresaw or intended. Now every organization must consider what they would do if their best player left them. Constant rebuilding mode. "What if Kevin Durant leaves in a few years? We don't want to be like the Cavaliers..." Now for the record I think the Thunder are pretty comfortable with their star player at the moment. But look at Orlando. Howard will be a free agent in the summer of 2012. Already the media is in a frenzy discussing where he might play. The notion of staying in Orlando doesn't seem to occur at all. The thing is, Dwight Howard refuses too discuss the future, and the Magic haven't even offered him a contract extension yet. There is no reason to believe he won't stay. But everyone is paranoid.
And then there is Carmelo. He was born in New York. He wanted to play in New York. Now he's in New York. Of course it took some painful months for Denver fans. The Nuggets now find themselves with a mixed up roster and an uncertain future. These two cases demonstrate the power of the player. At first glance it seems that the players hang their organizations out to dry for personal gain. But don't men and women change jobs all the time? Is it uncommon for a man to determine his own situation. Isn't this the American Dream? Does the celebrity status of these men coupled with their millions of dollars mean that they don't get the same opportunity?
This is the conflict. This is why come October there won't be any NBA basketball. There may not be any come December.
I think though that people forget what happens with much more frequency. The Lebron situation and the Carmelo situation make news because they only happen once every few years. But every summer, every fall, and every winter a player gets traded. Carmelo demanded he go to New York and he went. But the majority of trades occur without the players' prior consent. It's the business. That's the way it works.
Just ask Kendrick Perkins.
Perkins epitomizes the Boston Celtics. He played their his whole career. Before the big three he was there. He has devoted years of play, tons of effort, and a summer of rehab. He won a ring there. And he was beloved by his teammates and the fans. Today he plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder. And you know what? He's going to be great there. It was a great move for the Thunder. And the Celtics may very well be fine as well. But it was a heartless trade.
Perhaps Carmelo and Lebron were heartless in what they did. But I haven't seen much heart out of the organizations either. Is it purely just a business on both sides? It's a sobering thought. Yesterday certainly was a day about business first. It was all about meeting a deadline.
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